Publisher's Synopsis
"It is so good to be home again! I wonder how we ever made up our minds to go away!"exclaimed Rose as she went roaming about the old house next morning, full of thesatisfaction one feels at revisiting familiar nooks and corners and finding them unchanged."That we might have the pleasure of coming back again," answered Phebe, walking downthe hall beside her little mistress, as happy as she."Everything seems just as we left it, even to the rose leaves we used to tuck in here,"continued the younger girl, peeping into one of the tall India jars that stood about the hall."Don't you remember how Jamie and Pokey used to play Forty Thieves with them, andhow you tried to get into that blue one and got stuck, and the other boys found us before Icould pull you out?" asked Phebe, laughing."Yes, indeed, and speaking of angels, one is apt to hear the rustling of their wings," addedRose, as a shrill whistle came up the avenue accompanied by the clatter of hoofs."It is the circus!" cried Phebe gaily as they both recalled the red cart and the charge of theclan.There was only one boy now, alas, but he made noise enough for half a dozen, and beforeRose could run to the door, Jamie came bouncing in with a "shining morning face," a batover his shoulder, a red and white jockey cap on his head, one pocket bulging with a bigball, the other overflowing with cookies, and his mouth full of the apple he was justfinishing off in hot haste."Morning! I just looked in to make sure you'd really come and see that you were allright," he observed, saluting with bat and doffing the gay cap with one effective twitch."Good morning, dear. Yes, we really are here, and getting to rights as fast as possible. Butit seems to me you are rather gorgeous, Jamie. What do you belong to a fire company or ajockey club?" asked Rose, turning up the once chubby face, which now was getting brownand square about the chin."No, ma'am! Why, don't you know? I'm captain of the Base Ball Star Club. Look at that, will you?" And, as if the fact were one of national importance, Jamie flung open his jacket todisplay upon his proudly swelling chest an heart-shaped red flannel shield decorated witha white cotton star the size of a tea plate.
